Campbell-Lynn McLean American, b. 1999

Campbell-Lynn McLean is a Boston-based artist and a 2022 graduate from the Massachusetts College of Art and Design (MassArt) BFA program. McLean is currently pursuing her MFA in painting at Boston University, Class of 2027. She has received numerous awards and scholarships in recognition of her works, including the Stephen D. Paine Scholarship in 2021, the George Nick Award in 2022, and the Joseph Ablow Memorial Prize in 2026. Since 2024, she has presented a solo exhibition, included in three group exhibitions, and two art fairs with LaiSun Keane, Boston, MA.

McLean explores the queer experience, creating moody, caricaturistic paintings from her own memory. The resulting works are illustrative of McLean's technical skill, as well as her distinctive treatment of paint and canvas: the figures appear to emerge from the canvas itself, rather than painted on its surface. McLean's works are both specific and universalizing, personal and relatable; they are reflective of experiences unique to the queer community, yet speak to a larger audience.

Check out McLean's solo exhibition War-Birds & Adverts at Montserrat Gallery, Frame 301 Gallery, through October 3, 2026.